Nacho fires warning shot, hits Freddie for Oscar insults
By ROY MEDINA, abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/08/2008 12:22 AM
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Apparently, veteran tactician Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain did not find any of Freddie Roach's words -- or jokes -- about Oscar de la Hoya, funny.
"I’m very disappointed in Freddie Roach," The Sweet Science's Ron Borges quoted Beristain as saying during the San Francisco, California stop Saturday of the six-city tour of de la Hoya and Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao for their megabuck clash in Las Vegas.
"I consider him (Roach) a very good trainer but he lost his ethics," Beristain added through an interpreter.
The legendary Mexican trainer of 16 champions also said that Roach's verbal slamming of de la Hoya was not right, considering that the Hall of Fame coach once mentored the Golden Boy.
"To talk about about his ex-boss is not right. Maybe if he can’t pull the trigger it’s because Roach could not exploit his talent?" Beristain said.
Borges, who covered the press conference that had the Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop, said that while Beristain's words were being translated to English from Spanish, Roach "appeared agitated."
"Roach appeared to get more than a little agitated at what Beristain had to say. Twice he hollered to him, waving his arm in a dismissive gesture," he wrote.
Roach's ribbing of de la Hoya began weeks ago as preparations for the 147-pound welterweight super bout were being put into place.
He was quoted as saying that de la Hoya is already "too old" for the faster Pacquiao. De la Hoya is 35 while the Filipino is six years his junior.
'Can't pull trigger? That's Oscar'
During the launch of the six-city US tour in New York's Liberty Island on October 1, Roach said of de la Hoya: "I know his strengths and his weakness and the question is, 'Can he still pull the trigger?' I don't know, we will find out."
Roach continued joking around in San Francisco when he told de la Hoya: “Oscar, I found this toy gun. I can’t pull the trigger. It must be yours.’’
De la Hoya merely smiled while Pacquiao flashed a grin.
But Roach's jokes aside, there is one thing certain: de la Hoya clearly has the advantage in terms of height, weight and reach. 
And this has been acknowledged by Pacquiao, saying that the December 6 epic battle will be "the biggest" of his life.
"Asahan ninyo na sa akin, kahit buhay ko, itataya ko para sa karangalan ng ating bansa," Pacquiao told a crowd of Filipinos, Americans and Mexicans gathered at the Golden Gate Park.
He said that the training being done for the bout is extremely different and relatively more painful than the others.
"This is my greatest challenge," said Pacquiao of the super bout.
Meanwhile, the US tour for the de la Hoya-Pacquiao mega-fight winds down in the Golden Boy's East Los Angeles neighborhood on Tuesday, October 7.
The final press conference to announce the clash at the MGM Grand Garden Arena at noon at the Whittier Boulevard Arch.
Mexican American actor and comedian George Lopez was among the personalities invited to grace the event.
